Srinagar, June 2: Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader and Member Parliament, M B Rajesh, Saturday took Chief Minister Omar Abdullah head on for, what he termed, not pursuing the repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) with the Centre seriously.
“We support CM Omar Abdullah’s demand for repeal of the draconian law, but he is only making demands. He should seriously pursue the matter with Government of India but unfortunately he is only making statements,” he said while addressing a day-long convention on “Democratic Rights of Youth of Kashmir” organized by Centre for Policy Analysis (CPA) here.
The MP said doing away with the ‘draconian’ laws was must for creating conducive atmosphere for the start of process for resolution of Kashmir issue. “Government of India must initiate concrete Confidence Building Measures for starting the credible political process and for initiation of such process repeal of these laws is must,” he said.
Rajesh also claimed that MPs from Jammu and Kashmir opposed his demand for revocation of AFSPA on floor of Parliament recently.
“When I raised the issue, I faced stiff opposition from Congress and BJP members. Even the MPs from JK shouted at me,” he claimed.
The MP from Kerala minced no words in castigating State Government for ‘failing’ to take action against the forces involved in killing of 120 youth during 2010 unrest.
“On one hand young people are kept behind the bars, but on other no criminal proceedings have been initiated against the security personnel who killed youth here,” he said.
The CPI (M) said mainstream India is not insensitive to the sufferings and pain of Kashmiris and the Left MPs would continue to support the movement of Kashmiris for getting their political, civil and democratic rights.
Speaking on the occasion, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Muhammad Yasin Malik said Government of India shouldn’t beat about the bush and straightway come to the resolution of Kashmir issue.
“We have lost our four generations to the conflict and we cannot afford that our future generations should bear the brunt of conflict. We must straightway press for resolution of Kashmir issue. The offshoots like AFSPA and PSA will disappear with the resolution of Kashmir issue,” Malik said.
Terming Kashmir as a political and human problem, Malik said Kashmir is neither an employment problem nor an economic issue.
“From 1947, promises made with Kashmiris by leadership of India have not been fulfilled,” Malik said, adding that weapons of ‘corruption and suppression used by New Delhi’ during the past 66 years have failed to resolve K-dispute.
Malik accused New Delhi of using all its might to crush the democratic peaceful struggle of Kashmiris.
“Since 2008, the struggle of Kashmiris witnessed transition from non-violent to violent one. We were hopeful that New Delhi would respect our peaceful struggle and provide space to it. But instead, our youth are being detained and subjected to torture in detention centers,” Malik said, adding, “It is unfortunate that the nation which has produced leaders like Mahatma Gandhi is supporting violence against non-violent Kashmiris.”
“The decision of unilateral ceasefire by JKLF in 1994 was proven right by changeover of the method of struggle,” Malik added.
Malik said indifferent attitude of world and Indian civil society towards peaceful struggle of Kashmiris would have severe ramifications.
“The United States has realized that they have failed to win the war against Taliban and their forces from the country will be withdrawn. And it will send a message across the board that only violence pays if you are not heard. And in this situation, the supporters of non-violence in Kashmir will become irrelevant,” he said, adding “it is moral obligation on policy makers of the world and civil society of India to resolve Kashmir issue before Afghanistan is solved.”
Rejecting the report of interlocutors, Malik said thousands of Kashmiris have not rendered sacrifices for getting 1988 position.
Malik added civil society actors of India are acting like fire-fighters over Kashmir as whenever there is volatile situation, they issue statements that Kashmiris are facing injustice and create big hope, but they disappear whenever situation returns to normalcy.
“Once the situation normalizes, they feel as if they have won the war,” Malik added.
CPIM state secretary and Member Assembly Kulgam Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami called for demilitarization on both sides of Line of Control.
“It is high time to start credible process for gradual demilitarization on both sides of Kashmir,” Tarigami said, adding that reduction in troop level will pave way for resolution of Kashmir issue.
“If people at the helm of affairs claim decline in violence and infiltration, why don’t they downsize the oppressive security apparatus,” he said, calling for repeal of AFSPA and PSA.
While asking India and Pakistan to come to terms with reality, Tarigami said only dialogue can lead to the resolution of Kashmir issue.
Asserting that nobody can ignore the existence of United Nations resolutions on Kashmir, MLA Langate Er. Rashid said Government of India was continuously changing its policy on Kashmir.
“In morning they claim Kashmir is integral part and in afternoon they say it is insurgency. But in evening they said it needs resolution,” Rashid said.
He also alleged that arrival of tourists in Kashmir shouldn’t be construed as return of normalcy.
“Whenever two buses of tourists arrive here, they think everything is OK here,” he added.
Former vice-chancellor of Islamic University of Science and Technology, Prof. Siddiq Wahid, said both India and Pakistan are trying to narrow down the Kashmir problem only to Valley.
“For the past 60 years, both countries have aggressively tried to narrow down the Kashmir problem only to Valley and then demonized Kashmiris in front of the people of Jammu, Ladakh and even Gilgit,” he said.
Academician Prof. Hameeda Nayeem said that interlocutors have recommended greater integration of Kashmir with New Delhi.
“If we look at the language and tone of the report, it becomes evident that they have supported greater integration of state with New Delhi,” she said adding their doubts over ‘insincerity’ of New Delhi have proven right by interlocutors’ report.
She said interlocutors have tried to de-legitimize the major narrative by privileging minorities over majority.
“Not only this, they have pandered to rightwing ideology by suggesting setting up of regional councils,” she said.
She said process of interlocution was undertaken by New Delhi to ward off international pressure in the wake of 2010 unrest.
She said recommendation of interlocutors for review of Central laws extended to state was not feasible as it would require 2/3rd support of the Parliament, which is not possible.
Among others, Prof.  Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Prof Gul Muhammad Wani, Anubuhti Maurya,  Sanjay Saraf, Shujat Bukhari, Raja Muneeb, Junaid Azam Matto, Advocate Faisal Qadri, Zamrooda Habib, Khair-ul-Nisa and students from different universities of Kashmir and Delhi spoke on the occasion.
More than 60 students from different universities of Delhi including Jawahar Lal Nehru University participated in the meet held at Institute of Management and Public Administration (IMPA) here.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Director of CPA Seema Mustafa said 20 recommendations were made at the convention.
“About 20 recommendations were made by participants at the day-long event held to raise awareness over Kashmir issue. The main demands are demilitarization, withdrawal of AFSPA and PSA, punishment to the forces involved in killing of youth since 2008,” she said, adding student unions should be allowed to function in the valley.
“We have also demanded investigation in disappearance of youth,” she said adding that dialogue process should be initiated at internal as well as at external front.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 2 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 2 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 3 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST